Hello folks, I return with more information on my fresh 383 that had low idle oil pressure. Turns out, in addition to the trash ruining all the bearings and requiring the crank to be turned, the cam is also flat on two lobes. It's a Comp XE268H, and I have slightly stronger than stock valvesprings (not sure what the pressure is though, any way to find out other than a scale that I don't have?)

Problem is, I bought it through my college about four years ago, but only just got it into a vehicle and running. I followed all the directions explicitly, assembly lube, Comp lifters, correct oil (Rotella T 15W-40) with GM EOS, 2000+ rpm (no tach) for twenty or so minutes.

Think I have a case for a warranty claim through them? I ask before I waste my time and money calling them and sending the cam off for them to verify it is indeed flat.

Some years ago, I bought a very agressive flat tappet drag race cam from Comp. A lobe went bad after about 6 passes. I called them and explained the situation and, as per thier instructions, sent in the cam/lifters. In about a week, they called me and said there was a problem with the cam as there had been other failures and suggested that for my application a solid roller would be a better choice. I agreed and they gave me full credit on my bad cam and a special deal on the new parts. I considered their action more than fair considering the race application and have been a customer ever since.
The moral of the story is; call them and give them the truth and hope they will treat you with the same courtesy.

This is beginning to be an all to common story. I have a friend who has lost three cams in the last 2 years. All Comp's. I don't know if they are getting inferior blanks or if it is truly the lack of ZDDP in the oil but nobody can afford to keep trashing engines when they have done everything possible to break it in properly. There is a pretty good argument now days for roller cams.

Don't worry, my next engine will most certainly be a roller motor, and I wish like hell I had thought about it when I built this one, oh well. On the upside, now I get to get everything clean and build it and run it all in the same month!

Hello folks, I return with more information on my fresh 383 that had low idle oil pressure. Turns out, in addition to the trash ruining all the bearings and requiring the crank to be turned, the cam is also flat on two lobes. It's a Comp XE268H, and I have slightly stronger than stock valvesprings (not sure what the pressure is though, any way to find out other than a scale that I don't have?)

Problem is, I bought it through my college about four years ago, but only just got it into a vehicle and running. I followed all the directions explicitly, assembly lube, Comp lifters, correct oil (Rotella T 15W-40) with GM EOS, 2000+ rpm (no tach) for twenty or so minutes.

Think I have a case for a warranty claim through them? I ask before I waste my time and money calling them and sending the cam off for them to verify it is indeed flat.

Just use an old school 260H or 268H (high energy compcam) and it will live a long happy life. Maybe not make as much power as the XE at first, but XE's don't make much power with a few flat lobes and chewed up engine bearings.

This is the reason I always recommend starting out with a complete 96 to 2000 350 vortec engine with factory roller cam and vortec heads.

Make sure to check the lifter bore clearance. I had a BBC that ate cams and it was from extra tight lifter bores. Roller lifters require even more clearance than a regular flat tappet lifter. 0.001 to 0.0015" for a flat tappet and 0.0015 to a 0.002" for a roller lifter.

As a side note here. Uncle Sam mandated that over the road diesel trucks run catalytic converters a few years ago. Hence, all the diesel oils thought to be high in ZDDP are not anymore. I believe this a very serious issue and think that even people who have flat tappet cams that are broken in need to seriously consider a quality ZDDP additive.

If I was comp id say you're sol but offer you a discount on a new cam. Its more than likely not their fault and racing is a hobby where the consumer assumes the risk. Offering a discount would be good customer service though.

Hello folks, I return with more information on my fresh 383 that had low idle oil pressure. Turns out, in addition to the trash ruining all the bearings and requiring the crank to be turned, the cam is also flat on two lobes. It's a Comp XE268H, and I have slightly stronger than stock valvesprings (not sure what the pressure is though, any way to find out other than a scale that I don't have?)
!

Plugging the oil fitler bypass and running a good filter would have saved your crank from being turned and debis going through your engine.

Another big problem is cam companies sometimes are not using good cam cores. On alll my HYD and solid lifter cams I have always used the P-55 cam core. Its a harder cam core then the standard cam cores!!

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